He scoffed. “Now you are shy?”
Sucking in my lips, I shook my head, denying the truth.
When he rose to his feet, the firmness of him was still apparent. Neirin caught the focus of my attention and lifted my chin.
“Do not worry over me,” he said, abandoning his hold on me and adjusting himself, retying his trousers. “Pleasuring you is the greatest satisfaction you can give me.”
“I very seriously doubt that,” I retorted.
“There is your boldness.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. And though his chest still rose and fell heavily, betraying his restraint, his voice was soft. “Tell me, love …” He caught my lip with his thumb, his focus lingering there a moment beforehe raised his eyes to mine. “Have I succeeded in replacing your memories of this room with yet a more favorable one?”
“You have,” I said on a breath, and through our bond I sensed a different sort of emotion. One I couldn’t quite place. A calming warmth radiated through our connection. Like sitting by a crackling hearth in the fall. I smiled at the notion and inhaled deeply, the scents of cinnamon and vanilla in the air reminding me of brisk fall mornings and spiced tea.
Whether it had been Neirin’s intention to leave me with this sense of contentment, I could not say. But the way he leaned in to gentle affection after pleasuring me instead of acting upon his own need, as pressing as I knew it to be, made me suspect it may have been.
I raised my hand and brushed my fingers through the strands of hair that hung over his brows, moving them to the side. Streaks of soot stained his forehead, a reminder of the fragility of our situation. There would be danger in what lay ahead, but I pushed such fears aside to linger in the faith and promise of this simple moment; in laughter, passion, andthe closeness of two hearts bound to each other.
37
NEIRIN
Evera slunk downagainst the kitchen cabinets, and I followed her lead, sitting opposite her with my back resting against one of the table’s legs. With one knee bent and an arm hooked over it, I studied her as she made happy little noises through bites of muffins. It was at least her third, and she’d yet to show any signs of slowing.
“Are you not going to have any?” Evera asked, licking crumbs off the tips of her fingers.
“Just making sure there is enough for you first.” Of the dozen muffins we made, most of them remained. Still, I enjoyed teasing her.
She narrowed her eyes, but instead of forfeiting the bowl, she brought it to her lap as if guarding it and pouted. Carefully inspecting her collection, she chose one muffin and held it out.
“Here,” she said. A dance of mischief sparkled in her eyes.
I reached for the muffin, but she drew it back and grinned.
Meeting her challenge, I sat forward and leaned over her until our eyes were level and our noses brushed. “Tease.”
Stifling her smile, Evera looked up at me through her lashes, and again I was struck by the depth of emotions she gave me. I meant it when I told her I did not just crave her body, though Icould not deny my attraction, my wanting for her. But I wanted this, too. This playfulness, this wit. The way she instilled a yearning for life within me that I’d not had before. Hopes for a future, for something for myself, for us.
I leaned in to kiss her, but she giggled and broke my intentions with the muffin.
Narrowing my eyes, I took it from her and kissed her anyway. For as long as I was hers, I would not squander any opportunity for closeness and affection.
“Oh!” Evera gasped, reaching for her satchel.
I sat back, giving her room to grab it, and took a bite of my muffin.
She set the bowl aside and drew the book of lore from her bag. “I intended to lend this to you the other night, but …” She handed it to me instead of finishing the thought. “How much of it did you get to read?”
When she was resting in the manor house, I scanned a handful of the pages. Though in truth, I spent most of my time watching her sleep. But I wouldn’t tell her that, of course.
“A little,” I said, taking another bite.
“Did you read the part about middle shifts?”
I drew my brows. “Middle shifts?”
Evera crawled forward and turned, settling next to me. The way we fit like this was perfect. I placed an arm over her shoulder, and she pulled her knees up and propped the book open against her legs.
“Here,” she said, pointing to a page heavy with black script.
